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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · mate · tube · bay · wound · rule · saw · can

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — a container
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. can — to be able to
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — a tin
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rule — government
  18. wound — an injury
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rule — a law
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com